A reassessment of the PROPATRIA study and its implications for probiotic therapy.

The PROPATRIA (Probiotics in Pancreatitis Trial) study was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that aimed to reduce infectious complications in patients with predicted severe acute pancreatitis by the enteral use of a multispecies probiotic preparation. An unprecedented 24 of 152 patients (16%) in the group receiving probiotics died versus 9 of 144 (6%) in the placebo group. This high mortality rate in the probiotic-treated group contrasts strongly with observations from a previous smaller study and from our observations regarding the effects of abundant intestinal lactobacilli in patients with short small bowel (SSB) syndrome.

Not all Rowe scores are the same! Which Rowe score do you use?

Background: The Rowe score is an internationally recognized scoring system for the postoperative assessment of Bankart repairs; however, there are 4 different Rowe score versions. All 4 versions are used in parallel and results are sometimes published without any information about the Rowe score version used. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the correlation and agreement of the various Rowe score versions.

Microbial mito-pathogens: fact or fiction?

Mitochondria are bacteria-like semi-autonomous intracellular organelles that function as the powerhouses of eukaryotic cells. Inactivation or destruction of these organelles may have far-reaching consequences regarding the viability of the cells and thus of tissues, organs and finally even the body. Since mitochondria resemble (degenerated) bacteria, we have extrapolated from both cytological and microbiological facts the existence of various (kinds of) mitochondrion-specific microbial pathogens, i.

Microbial proteinase inside human cells as anti-mitochondrial activity: a new virulence factor in infectious diseases?

Both bacteria and fungi produce extracellular proteinases since they need aminoacids for optimal reproduction. This may also occur inside host cells. Viral proteinases are produced during propagation inside host cells to supply amino acids for rapid synthesis of viral proteins, and/or to split poly-protein molecules into single protein molecules, e.